Tufting machines having inclined needles to prevent tagging



May 2, 1967 J. o. ERWIN, JR

TUFTING MACHINES HAVING INCLINED NEEDLES TO PREVENT TAGGING Filed Feb. 26, 1965 INVENTOR. Joseph 0. Erwiin Jr,

United States Patent TUFTING MACHINES HAVING INCLINED NEEDLES TO PREVENT TAGGING Joseph 0. Erwin, Jr., Hixson, Tenn., assignor to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 435,627

6 Claims. (Cl. 11279) This invention relates to a tufting machine and more particularly to a means in a tufting machine for preventing tagging of the previously formed loops by the needle, that is, for preventing a needle from penetrating a previously formed loop as it descends in the formation of a subsequent loop.

Tagging is a problem that has become particularly acute with the advent of continuous filament yarns of synthetic fibers, such as nylon, because of the tendency of the fibers to blossom and thereby increase the probability of tagging and because of the inherent strength of the fibers which causes the needle to pull the tagged fibers from the preceding loop. The problem is increased in tufting with a relatively short stitch length and with long loops.

Heretofore, efforts have been made to reduce tagging by providing means for holding the preceding loop out of the path of the descending needle, as illustrated for example in the United States patents of Card, No. 2,975,- 736 and Broadrick et al., No. 3,074,362.

These prior solutions to the problem have had a tendency to interfere with the normal operation of the machine during loop formation, and at the same time have been somewhat expensive.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a tufting machine having improved means for preventing a descending needle from spearing or tagging a previously formed tuft. V

Another object of the invention is to provide a tufting machine in accordance with the foregoing object in which the improved means are inexpensive, do not greatly add to the complexity of the tuft forming mechanism, and which will not interfere with or adversely affect the normal loop forming operation of the machine.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by altering the path of the needle, which in the past has been perpendicular to the work supporting surface of the machine, so that when the needle descends beneath the top of the work supporting surface of the bed, it traverses a path which recedes from an immediately preceding tuft formed in the backing material.

In order further to alleviate the possibility of tagging, the point of the needle is angularly offset from the center of the needle in the direction away from the preceding pile tuft formed in the backing material or, in other words, in the direction opposite to the direction of feed of the backing material.

Although the needle and the hook are herein referred to in the singular, it must be understood that in practice to form tufted pile carpets, for example, a cascade of needle and hooks are provided, each of which presents an individual problem of tagging.

Other objects and -a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional view taken through a tufting machine incorporating the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the needle and the hook, of the tufting machine of FIG. 1.

With reference to the drawings, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention which comprises a tufting machine having a frame including a bed 1 with a standard 2 rising from one end. A head 3 extends over the bed and spans the distance between the standard 2 and an opposed standard (not shown) rising from the opposite end of the bed.

A hook 4 is secured in a hook bar 5 that is mounted on a hook shaft 6 which extends longitudinally through the bed. Cooperating with the hook 4 is a needle 7 secured in a needle bar 8 which is in turn secured to an endwise reciprocatory push rod 9 slidably mountedin a bushing 10 in the head 3.

Journaled longitudinally of the head 3 is a main shaft 11 that imparts endwise reciprocatory movement to the rod 9 by means of a link 12 which is operatively connected to the rod 9 by means of a pivot pin 13. The other end of the link 12 has a strap 14 which embraces an eccentric 15 on the main shaft 11.

On top of the bed 1 there is mounted a needle plate 17, the upper surface of which comprises the work supporting surface of the machine. A backing fabric 18 is advanced across the bed in the direction of the arrow A which is the direction of fabric feed, by a fabric feed mechanism that includes let-off rolls 19 and feed rolls 20. A presser foot 21 is mounted in the head 3 and maintains the backing fabric against the needle plate 17.

Yarn 22 is fed to the needle through a yarn feeding mechanism 23 and yarn guides 24, 25. The yarn feeding mechanism includes a driven yarn feed roller 26 and an idler yarn feed roller 27 mounted on shafts 28 and 29, respectively. The driven roller 26 is rotated through a sprocket 30 mounted on a counter-shaft 31 and connected by an endless chain 32 to a second sprocket 33 which is mounted on the main drive shaft 11.

In the usual fashion, the push rod 9 is mounted for endwise reciprocation along an axis arranged to intersect the work supporting surface of the machine and the backing fabric thereon in order to penetrate the backing fabric and to project a loop of yarn therethrough. The

axis of the push rod 9 is disposed in a plane that is sub-' stantially normal to the work supporting surface and parallel to the line of feed. In accordance with this invention, within thi plane the push rod is inclined downwardly-Le, toward the work supporting surface, in a direction opposite to the direction of feed, or in other words, the push rod is inclined at an acute angle relatively to the work supporting surface of the machine rearwardly of the point of loop formation-that is, the point at which the needle 7 penetrates the backing fabric 18. Thus, after the needle penetrates the backing fabric 18, the work penetrating point 34 thereof diverges relatively to the preceding loo In this manner, the spacing between the point 34 of the needle and the preceding loop increases as the needle descends and, since it is the end of the loop that is most likely to be in the path of the needle, the possibility of tagging that loop is correspondingly decreased.

To facilitate manufacture, the inclination of the push rod 9 is obtained by the use of a wedge-shaped insert 35 that is disposed between a substantially planar mounting surface 36 at the bottom of the standard and the portion of the bed 1 that receives it. The surface 36 is disposed as in a conventional tufting machine substantially normal to the axis of the push rod 9.

With particular reference to FIG. 2, to assist further in preventing tagging by the needle, the point 34 of the needle 7 is offset from the center thereof in the direction opposite to the direction of feed of the backing fabric 18.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been by Way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tufting machine, a frame having a bed including a work supporting surface, a standard extending from said work supporting surface and a head carried by the standard and overhanging the bed, fabric feeding means for advancing a backing fabric across said work supporting surface and defining the direction of feed, at least one needle supported for reciprocation through said backing fabric and having a work penetrating end adapted to penetrate said backing fabric on the work supporting surface and to project successive loop of yarn through said backing fabric, means including a push rod operably connected to said needle for initiating reciprocating movement of said needle, said needle and said push rod each being disposed in said head for reciprocation in paths included in respective planes parallel to the direction of fabric feed and substantially normal to the work supporting surface and the path of said needle and said push rod each being inclined a sufficient amount in a downwardly direction opposite to the direction of fabric feed such that the work penetrating end of said needle will always recede with respect to a previously formed advanced loop upon successive penetration of said needle through said backing fabric to form the next succeeding loop of yarn thereby preventing subsequent penetration of the previously formed advanced loop by said needle.

2. In a tufting machine a recited in claim 1 wherein said tufting machine includes a plurality of needles supported for reciprocation through said backing fabric and each having a work penetrating end adapted to penetrate said backing fabric, and each said needle being disposed in a plane parallel to the direction of fabric feed and substantially normal to the work supporting surface with its needle path being inclined a sufficient amount in a downwardly direction opposite to the direction of fabric feed such that the work penetrating end of each said needle will always recede with respect to a previously formed advanced loop.

3. In a tufting machine in accordance with claim 1 in which the work penetrating end of said needle is formed with a point that is offset from the axis of said needle in a direction opposite to the direction of fabric feed.

4. In a tufting machine, a frame having a bed including a work supporting surface, a standard having a substantially planar mounting surface and mounted on said bed, and a head carried by the standard and overhanging the bed, fabric feeding means for advancing a backing fabric across the work supporting surface and defining the direction of feed, a push rod mounted in said head for endwise reciprocation on an axis substantially normal to the plane of the mounting surface, a needle carried by said push rod and adapted to penetrate a backing fabric on the work supporting surface and to project a loop of yarn through the same upon reciprocation of the push rod, means in said head for imparting reciprocation to said push rod, and means mounting aid standard on said bed with the axis of said head and said push rod being arranged in a plane substantially normal to the work supporting surface and parallel to the direction of feed and with said axes being inclined at an acute angle relatively to said work supporting surface rearwardly of the point of loop formation.

5. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 4 further including means supporting said standard such'that it is inclined relatively to said Work supporting surface rearwardly of the point of loop formation.

6. In a tufting machine in according with claim 5 in which the means mounting said standard with said push rod inclined relatively to said work supporting surface comprises a wedge-shaped insert between the mounting surface of said standard and said bed.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 433,242 7/1890 Heine. 2,369,183 2/1945 Sigoda 1l2-l98 X 2,759,443 8/1956 Hunt ll2-79 3,056,364 10/1962 Dedrnon 112-79 3,219,003 11/1965 Darandik.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TUFTING MACHINE, A FRAME HAVING A BED INCLUDING A WORK SUPPORTING SURFACE, A STANDARD EXTENDING FROM SAID WORK SUPPORTING SURFACE AND A HEAD CARRIED BY THE STANDARD AND OVERHANGING THE BED, FABRIC FEEDING MEANS FOR ADVANCING A BACKING FABRIC ACROSS SAID WORK SUPPORTING SURFACE AND DEFINING THE DIRECTION OF FEED, AT LEAST ONE NEEDLE SUPPORTED FOR RECIPROCATION THROUGH SAID BACKING FABRIC AND HAVING A WORK PENETRATING END ADAPTED TO PENETRATE SAID BACKING FABRIC ON THE WORK SUPPORTING SURFACE AND TO PROJECT SUCCESSIVE LOOPS OF YARN THROUGH SAID BACKING FABRIC, MEANS INCLUDING A PUSH ROD OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID NEEDLE FOR INITIATING RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT OF SAID NEEDLE, SAID NEEDLE AND SAID PUSH ROD EACH BEING DISPOSED IN SAID HEAD FOR RECIPROCATION IN PATHS INCLUDED IN RESPECTIVE PLANES PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION OF FABRIC FEED AND SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE WORK SUPPORTING SURFACE AND THE PATHS OF SAID NEEDLE AND SAID PUSH ROD EACH BEING INCLINED A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT IN A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF FABRIC FEED SUCH THAT THE WORK PENETRATING END OF SAID NEEDLE WILL ALWAYS RECEDE WITH RESPECT TO A PREVIOUSLY FORMED ADVANCED LOOP UPON SUCCESSIVE PENETRATION OF SAID NEEDLE THROUGH SAID BACKING FABRIC TO FORM THE NEXT SUCCEEDING LOOP OF YARN THEREBY PREVENTING SUBSEQUENT PENETRATION OF THE PREVIOUSLY FORMED ADVANCED LOOP BY SAID NEEDLE. 